Large information handling system installations, such as data centers, server farms, and telecommunications switching systems (all referred to hereinafter generically as “data centers”) generate a great deal of waste heat that must be dissipated in order for the information handling systems to operate effectively. The capacity of such data centers continues to grow at a rapid pace to meet the demands of an increasingly “wired” society. Not only are such installations steadily increasing in computing capacity and overall volume, the power density of such installations is also increasing. Greater size and density leads to greater or improved cooling requirements.
Conventional data center cooling systems typically include a cool air supply provided by air conditioning systems. Cool air from the air conditioner is routed through cabinet-enclosed rack-mounted computing or switching components. The air heated by the components is then supposed to return to the air conditioner to be cooled and re-circulated. In many installations, air warmed by the components finds its way back to the components before returning to be cooled by the air conditioning system. In this way, cooling air is mixed with air warmed by the components. This mixture of warm and cool air is much less effective at cooling the components. In fact, some estimates indicate that as much as 70% of cool air generated in a data center does not make contact with the equipment to be cooled. In this way, a great deal of the energy is wasted by producing cooling air that is not utilized effectively. Further, in many installations, IT equipment airflow requirements are significantly less than the airflow volume delivery of the cooling system, the matching of which may provide unity efficiency. A system and method that provides for efficient operation, ready maintenance and monitoring would therefore be highly desirable.